ENGLAND set up a mouth-watering TikTok Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam decider in France next weekend after a scintillating second-half stunned Ireland 69-0 and gave them a 22nd straight win.
The Red Roses juggernaut eventually steamrolled a stubborn Ireland after running in 11 tries but it was a real tale of two halves as nine of those came after the break – Greg McWilliams’ visitors holding firm in the opening stanza, going in just 10-0 down at half-time.
England steamrolled Ireland to set up a mouth-watering TikTok Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam decider in FranceREX FEATURES
England won the Six Nations last yearREX FEATURES
There were try doubles for Lark Davies, Lydia Thompson and subs Poppy Cleall and Ellie Kildunne in front of another record home crowd of 15,836 at Leicester’s Welford Road and they were in great voice as local girl Emily Scarratt kicked five conversions to celebrate her 100th cap.
In the end, England’s powerful pack and brilliant bench proved far too hot to handle for an Ireland side that spent 23 minutes with 14 players in the second half to set up a grandstand finale in Bayonne on Super Saturday after Les Bleues saw off Wales on Friday night to maintain their own perfect record.
Back row ace Marlie Packer, who also grabbed a try in Leicester, said: “I think we’re very well positioned for that Grand Slam.
“We’re going over to France and that French side’s going to be massive, but I think we just go out there and do our job.
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“It’s a final at the end of the day so we just need to make sure that we put everything into it and come out on top.”
England came roaring out of the blocks, hooker Davies – the Allianz Premier 15s top try scorer – opened the scoring from a relentless rolling maul just two minutes in.
England’s Abbie Ward then saw her try scrubbed off after the TMO spotted a forward pass from scrum-half Leanne Infante, winning her 50th cap.
The next 15 minutes were littered with errors as both sides fluffed their lines until the Red Roses drove over again, prop Sarah Bern this time applying the finishing touch to the maul with centurion Scarratt again unable to convert from the touchline.
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Ireland – shorn of five starters in their backline away on Sevens duty – should have registered their first points after a positive spell of possession but fly-half Nicole Cronin shanked a straightforward penalty wide.
England almost added a third carbon copy maul try but were held up over the line as Ireland showed plenty of spirit in defence to increasingly frustrate the defending champions.
Tempers flared when Infante slapped Irish sub Michelle Claffey – on for the injured Cronin – after taking issue with what she felt was a high tackle but was lucky to stay on the pitch with just a penalty awarded.
Simon Middleton’s side had several near misses before the break, Irish debutant Molly Scuffil-McCabe pulling off a terrific try-saver to deny England wing Thompson and keep the hosts to just two tries at the interval.
Just like the first half, England made a blistering start to the second with flanker Packer showing her brute force to swat aside would-be Irish tacklers and dot down in the corner just a minute after the restart.
Scarratt kicked her first conversion to make it 17-0 and things got even tougher for Ireland when they were reduced to 14 as flanker Dorothy Wall was sent to the sin bin for making head on head contact with Jess Breach in the 43rd minute.
That opened the floodgates for England as Davies scored her second maul try before Helena Rowland – in her first start at full-back – ran a lovely outside arc then floated a gorgeous pass out for Thompson to score.
Powerful Cleall clambered off the bench for skipper Sarah Hunter and added her name to the scoresheet before fellow replacement Hannah Botterman got her side’s fourth try from the relentless rolling maul and Scarratt, who by now had well and truly found her kicking boots, converted both to stretch the lead to 43-0.
Crafty Cleall nicked another off the back of a superb scrum as England brought up their half-century before sub Ellie Kildunne’s dancing feet saw her jink and jive her way over.
Ireland centre Sene Naoupu was given her marching orders for an upright tackle which saw her clash heads with Scarratt, who went for and later passed an HIA, in the build-up to that score with Ireland forced to see out the last 14 minutes a woman down.
Kildunne waltzed over again for her second and Thompson completed her double after Mo Hunt found her with a pinpoint cut-out ball from the base as the Red Roses ran riot late on to take plenty of confidence with them across the channel ahead of Super Saturday.
The TikTok Women’s Six Nations is more accessible than ever before. To find out how you can watch the Women’s Championship visit: womens.sixnationsrugby.com/tv/